An enraged mob in Achoho, a settlement in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State, took justice into their own hands by setting ablaze a 22-year-old suspected rapist known only as Botswar.
Botswar was accused of committing the heinous acts of rape and murder against his brother’s wife on Friday, February 2. Reports indicate that he accompanied the victim to the farm that day, but neither of them returned home. A subsequent search led to the grim discovery of the woman’s lifeless body, bearing signs of rape and machete wounds on her nape and nose.
Botswar was later tracked down to Tse-Agberagba, the headquarters of Konshisha LGA, where his mother had remarried after her initial marriage. Upon apprehension and confession to the crimes, the infuriated youths of the community decided to take matters into their own hands, setting him on fire.
According to a source who spoke to The Nation, the victim was Botswar’s sister-in-law. She recounted, “The woman was Botswar’s brother’s wife. He was last seen with the woman on Friday on their way to the farm and they did not return. When the victim’s body was evacuated on Saturday, it was discovered that Botswar struck the woman with a cutlass on her head and nose, and when she fell on the ground, he took her to under a mango tree where he raped her.”
It’s like the woman resisted him when he started making moves to sleep with her. So, while she was pushing a wheelbarrow in his front as they were returning from the farm, Botswar butchered and raped her.”
The source also said the mob did not hand the suspect over to the police because they feared he might be set free.
